How to buy Bitcoins

Buying Bitcoins has become a way to preserve the value of our money and even obtain significant profits; in fact, it is now begin dubbed ‘gold 2.0’. But the usefulness of this currency does not stop there, since it can also be used to make purchases or make transfers anywhere in the world, paying very low fees.

At the time it is very easy to acquire Bitcoins; there are a myriad of exchanges and exchange platforms where you can buy them safely, and that is what we are going to talk about below.

The best place to buy Bitcoins

I have yet to find an exchange that can be defined as the best. The world of cryptocurrency is growing exponentially and at specific moments, they all have problems to keep functioning when a great number of users connect at the same time.
But those specific issues aside, I have prepared a list containing the most recommended sites to buy Bitcoins, and which are the ones I actually use.

Coinbase (The easiest, fastest and safest way to buy Bitcoins)

At Coinbase you can buy Bitcoins, Ether and Litecoin. This is one of the simplest trading platforms out there, it has over 13 million clients and is the one I always recommend to persons willing to get started in the world of cryptocurrencies.

Localbitcoins (Very fast and with a great number of payment methods)

In a few minutes, you will be able to start buying, since the registration and verification process is very short; you simply sign up using a valid e-mail and you can start buying and selling Bitcoins right away.

This platform has a search engine to find users who sell Bitcoins and accept the payment method you prefer. You may even find persons close to you, to buy them cash.

Commissions are low, but it is advisable to compare the exchange rate set by each user.

The platform acts as an intermediary between seller and buyer, in this way, they guarantee that both parties receive the money or the Bitcoins.

Kraken

It is one of the cheapest way to buy Bitcoins, but it must be said that when prices are highly volatile and a great number of users operate at the same time, the platform tends to fail and it becomes difficult to place a purchase order.

You can make deposits in dollars via bank transfer.

You can, of course, deposit cryptocurrencies.

All exchanges I recommend have the basics every reliable website should have:

Their address starts by https, which indicates that your data is sent encrypted.

They have a good reputation; you can read some review or opinion of other users.

Most of their cryptocurrencies are cold stored, the safest way to store them.

Still, my advice is that once you buy the Bitcoins you need, you send them directly to your wallet. In this way, you will be the only person who controls your private keys and that will give you full control over your money.

If you want to buy Bitcoins and actually keep them in your wallet or do whatever you want with them, do not let pages who offer the possibility of “buying” them through eToro, AVATrade or IQ Option confuse you.

Those pages let you buy CFDs, which may be ok if you know what you are doing and want to invest in cryptocurrencies in that way. But keep in mind that you will never be the owner of the Bitcoins that you invest on.

FAQ

What is the best way to buy Bitcoins?

I personally prefer to buy Bitcoins online, I believe it is the easiest, fastest and safest way to do it. But buying them in person can also be safe if you arrange a meeting at a public place and are accompanied by a family member or a friend.

Can I buy less than 1 Bitcoin?

Bitcoin can be divided into 8 fractions, so if you want, you may buy just a fraction: 0.00000001. Each of these units is known as 1 Satoshi, after the person credited for the creation of this currency (Satoshi Nakamoto).

Buying Bitcoins using my bank account

This is the cheapest way to buy them, since, for example, when making a ACH transfer no fees are charged, which means doing so this way will not cost any money. These are some of the exchanges that accept deposits in dollars via transfer:

Kraken: via wire transfer, Wire, ACH or SWIFT bank transfer.

Coinbase: the only one that allows instant purchases via transfer.

Bitfinex: they have always accepted bank transfers from the United States.

Can I buy Bitcoins at eBay?

I have been asked this question several times, which prompted me to do some research. I contacted 5 Bitcoin sellers on eBay and they all turned out to be scammers trading out of stolen accounts. So be very careful if you want to buy cheap Bitcoins.